Radio dial: KSL still No. 1, but its numbers are dropping

KSL (AM-1160/FM-102.7) remains the most-listened-to radio station in the Salt Lake market, but its numbers are dropping.

The station measured a 6.1-percent audience share in Arbitron's winter book (ages 12-plus), down 2.3 percent from the previous quarter.

Fluke or not, sister station KSFI ("FM-100")  usually the No. 2 station  dropped to No. 6 this time around. It scored a 4.3 audience share, down from 5.9. The ranking is KSFI's lowest rating in memory, going back two decades or more.

KNRS (AM-570) was No. 2 with a 5.2 share, followed by KUBL (4.7) and KXRK (4.6). KZHT rounded out the top five with 4.4 percent.

Those stations rising significantly include KUBL, KDUT, KUUU and KHTB. Mexican music stations appeared to have their best local ratings ever.

Going down significantly in numbers this book were KOSY, KBEE and KBZN.

Several stations, including KSOP (FM and AM) are missing from this list. They do have a measurable audience, but Arbitron apparently declines to list stations that are nonsubscribers to their service stations  even though this lessens the overall worth of the rating estimates.

• CORRECTION  KSL.com is, indeed, the nation's eighth top online news site, as reported here last week. However, that ranking is based on its sessions per person, not its total number of unique visitors. KSL.com has an average of 5.6 sessions per person.

• RADIO HAPPENINGS  www.utahfreemedia.org is now up and running. It is a collaboration of former staff, volunteers and listeners of KRCL. The Internet station had 250 unique listeners its first day. Worldwide, UtahFM was ranked number 644 out of 22,820 published streams, placing it in the top 2.8 percent on the planet.

KUBL's "Johnson and Johnson" had "American Idol" star David Archuleta on their show last Friday.

According to Edison Media Research, online radio listening by those who listen that way most has increased from 12 percent to 20 percent in the past year. Most people still listen with a radio set, but computer listening is becoming more popular than ever among those at work.